After years of hard work and dedication, Russellville High School senior Austin Nufer was awarded the prestigious Eagle Scout rank.

Nufer, 17, received the designation Dec. 26 following completion of a capstone project earlier that month. Each Eagle Scout is required to complete a service project as part of the requirements for achieving the Scouts’ top rank.

After his initial idea of working with the homeless fell through due to privacy concerns, Nufer decided to do a trail project at Russellville’s Illinois Bayou Park. A total of 23 people, including other Scouts, friends from school and family members, came together on Dec. 7 to help with the project.

For five hours, the volunteers worked to rip up stumps and branches and level out the ground along two nature trails located at the park, making them more passable.

Nufer said in addition to the actual work day, the service project included a lot of paperwork and pre-planning on his part, as well as a post-project evaluation.

In addition to his service project, Nufer had to achieve a minimum of 23 Scout badges to qualify for consideration as an Eagle Scout. His application also had to be approved by regional and national Boy Scouts of America offices as well as a local board of review.

“It was a lot of hard work,” Nufer said of his achievement.

Nufer is a member of Troop 214, and is the 37th member of that troop to achieve the Eagle Scout rank since 1996.

Following graduation, Nufer hopes to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy and hopes his achievements in the Boy Scouts will reflect positively on him during the admissions process.